William Murphy said:Hey everyone.
I wasn't really sure where this topic fits best, but this feels like the right spot for it.
So, basically, I was sitting out on the porch with a friend when this little stray kitten wandered up behind us and curled up on the bench right on top of a coaster. When I headed inside, I didn't bother moving the coaster because I just wanted to let the little guy sleep in peace. Later, when I told my dad about it, he just lost it. He goes, "Is that where I sit? How am I supposed to sit there now?" Honestly, I was kind of stunned. It’s not like it’s rocket science—you just wash the damn coaster. Besides, I’m usually the one sitting on it, while Dad just sits on the wood without any protection. Anyway, he tells my mom, and she storms outside, starts yelling at the kitten, grabs the coaster, and the poor thing gets knocked off its perch, falls to the ground, and bolts. It felt terrible. I quietly slipped back outside when Mom wasn't looking to see if the kitten would come back, and sure enough, it crawled back to the bench trying to find a spot. I petted it and tried to fix the cushion, but then Mom saw me down there and started screaming at the cat again. It felt so cruel. Then Mom starts ranting about how much crap the animal has on it, how dirty it is, and how animals don't belong in our yard. I just snapped and told her, "We don't leave enough room for animals as it is, and we just keep making their lives harder. Physical filth doesn't matter nearly as much as being a shitty person deep down." Maybe I went a bit overboard, but... My mom is pretty religious and prays three times a day, and I looked it up online and found that Jesus said, "Whoever persecutes an animal will themselves be persecuted."
So, yeah. I don't even know what I'm asking here. I guess I just wanted to hear what you guys think.
Thanks.
You didn't go too far.
I’ve actually moved apartments several times just to hide cats I found (mostly kittens, and once a puppy) from my landlords until they could find better homes. The last time, a stray cat that finally trusted me ended up having kittens right on my bed. I spent two months hiding her and four kittens—first in a small room, then on the balcony. It was exhausting to look after them since I work twelve-hour shifts and travel constantly, the pay is low, and getting help from local shelters is a nightmare. Keeping the place clean was a struggle, and sleeping near them was tough. Eventually, fleas showed up. In the end, my landlord caught on, and we were all given notice to move out. I managed to find homes for them at the very last second. Still, I saved four tiny lives, regardless of the judgment from people around me or the cost to myself.
I don't regret it, and I'd do it all over again.
You’re a good person—principled, capable of empathy, and able to see things from someone else's perspective. You aren't a hypocrite like those people who talk about lofty ideals while only caring about their own tiny interests and ignoring the lives of others.
There are other layers to it, obviously, but that’s the gist. I’d say more, but my brain is just fried today.
Where is the kitten now?